I bought an icecream maker (Nemox Tuttogelato) from the company CoffeeItalia. It broke down after only 5 month's use (the paddle stopped turning), long before the end of the guarantee of 2 years.

We contacted CoffeeItalia to see how we could repair it. At first they told us it was our fault in just 2 lines and that they weren't doing anything about it. As we insisted, in 1 line they told us to send the machine to Nemox. I had to pay EUR 80.- to send it as it was very heavy.

3 month's after having sent it, I received from CoffeeItalia an email (2 lines) to say that my machine had arrived broken. In fact the machine was not physically broken, but it was so fragile that just turning it around, the liquid of the refrigirator went out and the reparation would have cost more than a new machine. We had to phone the wholesaler to find out that because CoffeeItalia gave us no information re our machine, we were just told that it was broken and that they were not sending a replacement.

CoffeeItalia never told us that the machine was EXTREMELY fragile to send and to put a wood under the package so that the Post wouldn't turn it upside down. So even if we had made the package carefully, it wasn't enough. If I had thought for just one moment that it could break so easily, I would never have sent it and would have tried to find another place in my country to repair it.

They told me to see with the Post as we paid an insurance. But at the Post they told me that there was no insurance for a fragile package.

We paid GBP 654.- for the machine for only 5 month's use and now have no more machine. We are very angry with the company CoffeeItalia, they just answer in 2 lines that they are not a charity company and that they are not willing to find any solution for us. I also remarked that they are rude and SAV zero!!!Maybe the price is attractive, but if anything goes wrong with your machine, you can just say bye bye to it!!

I agree with E61GM comments about "grey import" and sympathise with Coralie as I suffer from the same "merry go round" with Coffeeitalia(.ie)...The machine I purchased was a Saeco Talea Ring +milk island ( +/- Euro 725) which had a "manufacturer guarantee of 2 years" which seems to be in contradiction with the base definition of "grey imports", especially that on their site they do proudly indicate that they are authorized European distributor...This is my second Saeco (Magic), the first one was bough 10years ago while we lived in Italy and performed perfectly and simply died of old age!!! This one developed a grinder fault after 15 months so I contacted them to have it repaired under warranty. I was directed to their repair center in Dublin (address is on their website) but after a couple of months waiting, it seemed that their repair center could not get the parts to repair.I did try to contact directly Saeco to enquire and discovered that Saeco/Gaggia had been bought by Philips which inform me to bring my machine to their service centre in Dublin. Their service centre was not able to repair the machine ( aggravated by the fact that this model in not imported officially.... this were the grey import comes into effect!). However Philips Ireland did inform me that since 2 attempt were made to repair were unsuccessful, the vendor must provide a replacement!...This is the official Saeco/Philips policy concerning the warranty, it is also covered the EU directive 1999/44/CE which is ratified by each country and covers vendor responsibility.At least Philips (Ireland) are professional about it and keeps the dialogue open with me, CoffeeItalia just simply ignores my mail!The battle is still ongoing......

The company Coffee Italia is NOT a grey importer. They buy their goods directly from the manufacturers. They have contracts with all the manufacturers (including Saeco/Philips!) which allow them to sell the goods and also provide manufacturers´warranties. They also have their own warehouse, from which they ship all products directly to their customers.

Do not go anywhere near them, I used them in the UK and have been in contact with two others that have, they take the money and do not pay and disappear off the face of the earth, I am taking them to the small claims court, if you need any further info, email me on jemma@sarahkenny.co.uk

I don't believe the post above from jemma. It is so easy for anyone to say something on a forum and not be accountable. I bought my machine from coffeeitalia Australia a few years ago and have also bought coffee and a grinder and had excellent service. Friends have also bought from them without problems.

I'm a member of a few different forums and over the years I have noticed that a company can get a bad rap and then I start to think whether this can be true. Frequently I will follow through the thread and see every time that a member is abusing their right to free speech. Coffeeitalia has not "disappeared off the face of the earth" as claimed above. Nor can coffeeitalia go responsible for customer misuse as seems to be the case with the ice cream machine above.

The reality is we use the interent to get the best price. We don't use the internet to get service or one on one demonstrations. Most of the time it works out to our advantage but plenty of times I have had to take items back to a retail outlet and received no joy. The difference is no one reads about this. Try taking a faulty phone back to your telco after a month. They'll keep charging you their contract for usage even though you can't use their phone. Now that stinks!

If coffeeitalia are approved Saeco and Rancilio online traders they must be doing a pretty good job. Large companies like that don't bother with idiots or backyarders or grey market traders or what ever else you want to call them. Read between the lines!

Hi all, I note on their web site they sell Rancilio Epoca 1 group S Tank which btw is not the photo featured. ( Epoca 1 group E )Pricing is reasonable and competitive without warranty but when added is not far off a recognized distidutors pricing I would think.

Maybe they buy from a parent company in Europe and resell under that ,so would then be a parallel importer.Happens a lot in Asia.

Either way recognized or grey the best thing is having support for after sales when buying a machine.

Hi all, I work with Coffee Italia and all our products have warranties. It is Australian law any way. As an authorised Rancilio importer we also carry a full range of parts for the Silvia and Rocky lines. We import the Epocha from our parent company and give a full warranty in Australia.

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